Okay, so it's a very interesting time in my migraine/cluster headache world because I'm starting to connect so many dots that were totally unrelated for many years.  Among others, I figured this out last night...

My husband and I were lying in bed, and I was shivering.  Now, I thought I was just chilly, as we've recently hit a cold spell here in GA.  Then I noticed that Billy was lying ON TOP of the covers and seemed perfectly content whereas every few minutes, I would get a chill that started from my core and ran through my extremities and up through my skull.  I asked him if he was cold.  Nope.  Weird.

A short while later, I piped up, "Headache's coming."  I looked at the clock (didn't need to, really).  Sure enough, it was 12:15AM.  The Beast usually visits at 12:30AM and again at 4AM.  I grabbed the oxygen and by 12:45, I was much better.  I got comfy under the blanket and suddenly realized, hey, I was comfortably warm... no chills whatsoever.

And, of course, upon googling it today (as if I needed confirmation):  The body keeps its core temperature constant at about 37 C by physiological adjustments controlled by the hypothalamus (Thermostat Center) where there are neurons sensitive to changes in skin and blood temperatures. The temperature-regulating centers are found in the Preoptic Area (the anterior portion of the hypothalamus).

It's actually kind of cool, really, to know that there's another way to know that it's coming on!  I don't like shivering (as I'm doing right now -- and yes, the oxygen is within an arm's length and will be on my face momentarily), but it sure is nice to not have that light switch just turn on like it used to before I knew what to look for.

Just thought I'd share in case anyone else is new to all these symptoms like I am.  I've been doing all this for years, but it's been masked by all the narcotics I've taken for the chronic migraines.  It's like a whole new (not so nice) world.  I'd much rather have tons of information, though, to make it all a bit easier to bear.

Blessings, My Friends!

Glad you made a connection. I've never noticed it myself, but that don't mean nuthin.

On another note, this had me in stitches:

Quote:

...a cold spell here in GA.

Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!! ;D ;D ;D

Everything being relative, of course...  LOL

Our buddy just came here to work with us for three months, and he's from Montana.  Cold spell, my butt.   ;)

i've never noticed being cold before a hit but during i shiver sometimes uncontrollably.

jeannie

when Joe is in cycle he has about a 6 degree range of comfort. above/below that he's very uncomfortable.

The hypothalamus controls thirst too. I've always thought that was why some people are able to knock out their cluster by chugging massive amounts of water at the first sign of one. 
Funny though, it also controls feelings of hunger but I've never heard of someone aborting a CH by gorging on a Big Mac!

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I've never heard of someone aborting a CH by gorging on a Big Mac!

;D I'll try and let you know! 
But, to the post, I do notice I am very cold after an attack. Haven't noticed it so much before one though. Blessings. lance

are you cold before the hit, or overly hot such that you feel cold from the air..... I am hot all the time... but after a big hit Ill be shivering... I just assumed it was frmo the sweat or having expended so much energy

Thanks Lance. I knew I could count on you! ;)

One thing I've noticed for sure, If I get overheated I get hit, BAD.  The worse the heat, the worse the hit

For me it's extremes in temperatures that set off the beast. A cold draft on my neck & shoulders or too long of a soak in a hot tub.

Yeah, I have to agree with the above posters...for me, any extreme will kick off a hit. I'm just a radical extremist living in a body that loves moderation. Sigh. And blessings. lance

I quite often get the shivers when one is coming on too...and I find that summers are the worst. Hotter temperatures = worse headaches (for me at least).

Any extreme changes in temperatures tend to bother me as well.

And I know much about that living in Winnipeg!  :P

if im in an environment where its 15 or 20 degrees F  im darn near bulletproof. never got the shivers tho. my attacks never followed any time schedule either. sometimes they come one right after another.....after another

Ricardo wrote on Mar 30^th, 2011 at 9:26am:

One thing I've noticed for sure, If I get overheated I get hit, BAD.  The worse the heat, the worse the hit

Like on the golf course.....   I like to walk.   I go from AC at work at 4 pm to golf at 5pm....   Last year it was almost was like clockwork.  Last year was an Extremely hot summer!  Lets hope for a cooler summer

Thank you for this; I also experienced this... This is all brand new territory for me having never suffered before until last autumn.

My temperature swings usually hit after the attack, although on one or two occasions they have come before. But after the attack has passed, my body will swing to shivering cold, to very hot, to shivering cold and back again. It can take an hour or so to settle back down to normal if it was a bad cluster. I usually have a throw or bath robe nearby that I can put on, then off, then on.....

Gotta love the hypothalamus.